Fully-funded PhD position on comparative genomics of Apodemus

March 8, 2017

The BrykLab has* a fully-funded PhD position available to continue and expand our work on Apodemus genomics, from phylogeography to genome-wide scans for positive selection. The position is officially adverstised on findaphd.com and the deadline in on March 26th (!).

(*The university announced 15 projects in total but only 8 studentships, and only projects that will attract the best candidates overall will be awarded the positions.)

Below is a slightly modified text of the announcement that will go live any day now on evoldir.

Rodents from the genus Apodemus are the most common mammals in the Palearctic and an attractive subject for evolutionary and molecular studies: they are likely to be under multitude of selective pressures in different habitats, they contribute to the spread of Lyme disease and tick–borne encephalitis and harbour extra (“B”) chromosomes. However, the genomic and genetic resources for their studies remain very limited.

We are a young and small research group that has recently embarked on establishing phylogenetic and phylogeographic relationships between Apodemus populations in Europe based on whole-genome genotypes. Thanks to collaboration with researchers in Poland, Germany and Belgium we are presently acquiring and analysing whole-genome high-density genotyping data (ddRAD-seq) from hundreds of individuals across Europe. Analysis of this data will inform future directions of our studies: phylogeography of sylvaticus and flavicolis, diversity and divergence of their populations, SNP-based genetic maps and whole-genome scans for signatures of positive selection.

We are looking for an independent candidate with keen interest in evolution and computational approaches to study genetic variation on a population scale. Familiarity with UNIX/Linux, command line or R is a plus, as is research experience, preferably on a master’s level, but strong B.Sc. graduates are also encouraged to apply. Majority of the project involves computational analyses of large datasets, but it has a small wet-lab component, such as preparation of DNA and/or RNA sequencing libraries.

The PhD student will be associated with the Evolutionary and Environmental Genomics Group at the Department of Biological Sciences and embedded with PhD students in the Leverhulme Doctoral Training Centre who work on human and cattle phylogeography, archaeoentomology, yeast transposable elements and evolution of choanoflagellates using genomic approaches. The studentship requires candidates to undertake small teaching duties during the PhD. For more information about us and our work, please go to bryklab.net/research/ and Jarek Bryk’s staff profile. Candidates are encouraged to contact the project’s supervisor, Dr Jarek Bryk, directly with informal questions and requests.